Max Novak finished fourth in the 48-kilometer long distance roller-ski race Alliansloppet in Trollhättan, Sweden, this Saturday, and he was beaten by Calle Halfvarsson, a Swedish National Team member. Yesterday, Max got even with Calle when he managed to win the 15-kilometer Alliance race.

– Calle won the long race, then I had to win “their race,” Novak said with a smile. 

Team Aker Daehlie’s long-distance ace Max Novak has competed extensively in recent days, to say the least. Last Thursday, he won the long-distance race during Toppidrottsvecka in Norway. Then this weekend, he finished first and fourth in the aforementioned races in Trollhättan.  

– I woke up this morning feeling like this was going to be a good day. I didn’t have any muscle soreness from the previous days. I know I’m in good shape, and then I know I can handle this distance in a good way.  

A short distance like 15 kilometers is not really the one that Novak puts his focus on these days, but it seems that he is still capable of going fast when needed. 

– It’s nice to show that I have mastered it in a good way. And now that Calle Halfvarsson won the long race, I felt I had to win this one. I felt like I was starting to lose a little bit on the second lap, but I quickly bounced back on the second part of the lap. I know I’m strong on that part, and there aren’t many people who can beat me there.  

Another long distance skier, Morten Eide Pedersen from Team Eksjöhus, finished second six seconds behind Novak. He was sixth in the long distance race on Saturday.